Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Idaho, transportation inspectors earn $54,330 at the median, or about $26.12 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $85K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.88), which stretches that salary to about $57,872 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,136/month, about 31.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Idaho. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $54K actually covers in Idaho, month by month
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Idaho
Pay for transportation inspectors in Idaho runs about 41% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,136/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.88 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Idaho
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in Idaho
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $105K | +94% | 100 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Idaho numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Idaho?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 31.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Idaho?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,731/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation inspector a high-paying job in Idaho?
Local pay runs 41% below the national median — $54K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Idaho compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Idaho pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -41%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Idaho?
The median is $54,330 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,800, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $156,640. The mean (average) is $84,980, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Idaho?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,634/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 31.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a transportation inspectors salary go in Idaho?
Idaho has a Regional Price Parity of 93.88 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median transportation inspectors salary is worth about $57,872 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation inspectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.